Monday, August 23, 2010

What is a Genius?

The dictionary defines “genius” as: “Someone who has an unusually high level of intelligence, mental skill or artistic ability.”

A genius is a person of great intelligence, who shows an exceptional natural capacity of intellect, especially as shown in creative and original work. The term genius may also applies to someone who is a polymath or a prodigy. Although “genius” is sometimes used to denote the possession of a superior talent in any field (For example, Pele could be called a soccer genius or Mozart a musical genius), in many instances the term genius is used specifically to denote an exceptional natural capacity of intellect in areas of art, music, science andmathematics.

A genius is a person with distinguished mental powers. “genius” does specifically apply to mental rather than athletic skills, although it is also used to denote the possession of a superior talent in any field. For example, someone may be called a golf genius, or a genius of diplomacy.The first thing to learn is that a person can become more intelligent.

In an issue entitled “Genius” from L. Ron Hubbard he is quoting Dr. Alfred Barrios who declared the following:“Most people have the mistaken idea that geniuses are born, not made.”

Here are some tips to help you improve your brain power and kick-start the genius within…

2. Develop your concentration abilities. Learn a meditation technique and build your ability to remain focused like a laser. Smart people can concentrate for longer periods of time than dummies!

3. Practice flick-gazing for 2 minutes a day. Another great technique . Only moving your eyes, flick your gaze from point to point, once every second, throughout the range of your vision. Go left, right, up, down, on the diagonals and so on.

4. Learn to mind-map. Mind-mapping is a great technique invented by Tony Buzan. It helps you think and remember better. You will find it an incredibly valuable and easy skill to learn.

5. Think positively. This sounds like a right old chestnut, doesn’t it? But thinking positively enables you to access your higher thinking abilities. When you are positive and feeling good your mind functions smoothly. Askyourself emotion-leading questions like, “What am I grateful for right now?” and “Who do I love and who loves me.

6. Affirm your brain power. You act according to your identity. Identity is based on your self image. If you change the image you have of yourself, you can change your life. Start thinking of yourself as someone who is clever, intelligent and supremely creative. Use affirmations to declare the truth of this and over-ride old limiting beliefs about yourself. Repeating affirmations like, I am really creative, and, I am a genius, is a great way to improve your brain power. Try it and you’ll see!

7. Play computer brain games. What’s the key to a healthy body and mind? Doing exercise! Right. You go to a gym to keep your body fit., how about your brain? Especially, when you have to sit before the computer for a long time, try to exercise your brain. Left or Right Ambidextrous Challenge, Mindstorm Train Your Brain and other new brain programs being released all the time. It’s a great way to exercise your brain and improve your brain power.

8. Do puzzles, brain teasers and strategy games. Break out the newspaper crossword puzzle for a quick 5 minute brain workout. Look out for riddles and brain teaser games . Engage your strategic thinking by playing chess, checkers.

9. Keep journals and notebooks..All the smart people write down their ideas, thoughts and observations. Writing things down lets your brain know that you value “it’s” ideas. How does it reward you? By providing more ideas and better ideas. Writing things down creates a feedback loop that makes you smarter. You objectify your thoughts onto paper (or computer screen) and that helps you think about them in a more powerful way. This is a great way to improve your brain power..)

10. Practice image streaming. Another super technique courtesy of mind maestro Win Wenger. This technique was created by Dr. Win Wenger and his Project Renaissance. He has also written a book titled “How To Increase Your Intelligence.” Dr. Wenger is considered one of the foremost authorities on genius and intelligence. He has pioneered this unique mental application. Doing this exercise will open up the higher cortical brain areas and allow you to become aware of your.

. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that sitting in front of the TV for 2-4 hours every night ‘rots’ your brain. If you must watch TV… take notes, discuss what you’ve watched with someone else, think about how the program was made, the filming and camera work, the acting, how you could have made it better.

For the most part, a genius is born into a life of high brain activity and functionality. Many definitions of the word “genius” use the word “natural” to describe the state, which implies that one can not force themselves into becoming a genius. However, you can not be certain that you are using your brain to its fullest potential. In fact, there is a large chance that you use only a fraction of your brain’s potential, which means that a large amount of your brain’s capacity remains untapped. Do not fear the untapped portion of your brain. Here is top five steps to help you become Genius.

Step 1

Perform a detailed self-analysis. So much talk floats around about which side of the brain people use most often. Figure out if you are a right-brain thinker or a left-brain thinker. Maybe your passion lay in math and science. Peruse your transcripts from high school and college. Maybe you received high marks in English and historical-related courses. Find out which part of the brain you use to its maximum potential and then expand on that.

Step 2

Read, reread, and read some more. Those who use their brains most productively often use the written words of others as a starting point. An active brain needs inspiration. Reading also facilitates creativity, and many geniuses–past and present alike–were also considered to be at the upper-echelon of creativity. Whether it is math and science or English and philosophy, creativity and brain activity go hand-in-hand.

Step 3

Use your time wisely. Whether you were born a genius or are trying to make better use of your current brain activity, wasting time is a worthless notion. Think about how many hours of television you watch throughout the course of an average week. Think about how many hours you spend on the Internet. For the most part, your brain is on “sleep mode” when you participate in those activities. Find a creativity activity to engage in, such as writing or studying your favorite subject.

Step 4

Transform your diet and your lifestyle. Some experts suggest that upping your intake of fish can significantly impact your mental capacity. However, taking a more broad and sweeping approach to your nutritional intake might be a better idea. Assess your current diet. Maybe much of your fluid intake is comprised of coffee and cola. Substitute unnatural fluids with water. Increasing your water intake will flush some of the unnatural toxins from your body and keep your body out of “survival mode,” during which your body actually bloats due to a lack of natural water.

Step 5

Expand your horizons. Keep your head in the books, but not only in the books you know best. If your strongest area of knowledge is English literature, head to the library and pick up some books about various sciences. Remember, most geniuses have been extraordinarily well-rounded and versed in multiple disciplines of study.
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Quick Tips to Become Genius

Laser Concentrated Focus

Child Like Open Mind

Excel in Memory Recall & Retention

Master Speed Reading

Heighten Awareness

Other Tips

Consider yourself being a genius and act like one in every moment of your life and you will very soon feel that you are one.

Work out your time in such a way that every hour is properly utilized and put aside as much time as possible on becoming better.

Established a good skill on recognizing which data are valuable and vital.

Learn something new and valuable each day.

In anything you read or observe make sure you understand it. Clear up the words you don’t understand and ask or look up to understand observations which were not understood. Never pass by something you don’t understand.

Carefully choose a profession in which you earn your money for living and at the same time enables you to enhance your skill and abilities.

Read a lot and carefully select which literature to read in which to gain the most valuable and vital data.

Evaluate, look and make conclusions on anything you read and observe.

Expect much more of yourself than what is expected from others.

Help people around you to the best of your ability and establish friends who can support you if needed.

Be very self-confident and certain but on the same time be open to listen, look and reevaluate to make new conclusions.

Know that no matter how good or skilled you are you can always become better and never cease to become more skillful in anything you do.

The true genius knows that it is not enough for himself having reached sky high levels – he has to take the rest of mankind with him up and has dedicated his life in making it happen.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Repetition learning or rot learning is a function of repeating something over and over, hoping you ultimately remember it. And once you have used the information, it disappears. Suppose you go through the process of memorizing the order of cards in a deck. You then go to a party and perform the trick, and everyone is amazed by your great memory! Now try the same trick three months later, or six months later. You won’t be able to remember. Why not?

Repetition learning starts When you create a memory, a pathway is created between your brain cells. It is like clearing a path through a dense forest. The first time that you do it, you have to fight your way through the undergrowth. If you don’t travel that path again, very quickly it will become overgrown and you may not even realise that you have been down that path. If however, you travel along that path before it begins to grow over, you will find it easier than your first journey along that way.
Successive journeys down that path mean that eventually your track will turn into a footpath, which will turn into a lane, which will turn into a road, and into a motorway and so on. It is the same with your memory: the more times that you repeat patterns of thought, for example when learning new information, the more likely you will be able to recall that information. So repetition is a key part of learning.Repetition learningRepetition principle

How it works
Play it again, Sam. Music repeated gets under our skin. Advertisements repeated replay themselves when we see the product. Repetition of things has a distinct effect on us.
Pattern
Our brains are excellent pattern-matchers and reward us for using this very helpful skill. Repetition creates a pattern, which consequently and naturally grabs our attention.
Familiarity
Repetition creates familiarity, but does familiarity breed contempt? Although it can happen, the reality is that familiarity leads to liking in far more case than it does to contempt. When we are in a supermarket, we are far more likely to buy familiar brands, even if we have never tried the product before. Advertisers know this very well.

Understanding
Repetition can also lead to understanding, . What at first may be strange, after repeated exposure becomes clear and understandable.
This is important for companies bringing innovative new products to the market where users may initially unfamiliar with the product or its usage.Repetition learning make this understand.Memory
Remember learning your multiplication tables at junior school? We have to repeat things more than once for them to finally sink into our memories. Our short-term memories are notoriously short-term and can forget something (like a person’s name) in less than a second. Repetition learning is one of getting things into longer-term memory.Convincing
Some people just have to do things several times before they make up their mind. Think about the last time you bought a pair of shoes. Did you pick them then put them down several times before trying them on. Did you come back to try them again? If so, you are in good company. Many people have to repeat things several times before they get convinced. Three times is a common number.
Sharp sales people know this when they show you something then something else, then back to the first thing a few times.
Nagging
We can also get persuaded in a negative repetitive way. All children know that if they repeat a request often enough, their parents will cave in. Some remember this when they grow up and get married–the nagging spouse is a legendary icon.
Cues
As Pavlov discovered with his dogs, with repetition you can connect a cue or trigger with a selected action. This can be a color, a shape, a tune or a host of other things. The ideal that advertisers search for is that when you see the product in the shop, the pleasant or funny feelings that the advert evoked are re-awoken, making you somehow want to buy the product (and preferably lots of it!).Repetition learning
Music
A core principle of music is repetition. It appears in runs, trills and stanzas, as well as in pounding rock rhythms and dance music.
People dancing in clubs and waltz-halls commonly go into trance-like states. Music, rhythm and repetition have a hypnotic effect that can lull people into following a pattern in unthinking ways.
Trance
Repetition is also a basis for trance states and is consequently a basis of hypnosis and hypnotic techniques.
Repetition is a function of repeating something over and over, hoping you ultimately remember it. And once you have used the information, it disappears. Let’s use the card deck scenario as an example.
Repetition does not work because it won’t train your brain to improve your overall memory skills. It is perfectly useful to recite a list or memorize a short speech. This is known as short term recall. Repetition helps with short term recall but not as a long term memory improvement technique.
While repetition is one aspect of short term recall, the technique is not a long term memory improvement solution. The most effective technique is methodical and consistent brain training. But don’t mistake the brain training process as arduous or boring. It’s actually quite engaging, stimulating, and fun!
.. Research background
There has been a great deal of research on how different spacing of repetitions in time affects the strength of memory and how the resulting findings could be applied in the practice of effective learning. It has been predicted, and to a large degree confirmed, that by changing the spacing of repetitions, a substantial gain in the effectiveness of learning might be obtained .
A major breakthrough in the study of optimum spacing of repetitions came with the discovery of the spacing effect which has been found under a wide range of conditions, and which refers to the fact that sparsely spaced repetition produce a better performance in memory tests than do densely spaced repetitions .
However, studies reporting a robust spacing effect in classroom conditions are the exception rather than the rule . This follows directly from the fact that the spacing effect is subject to certain boundary conditions which limit its universal applicability. It has been found that with increasing spacing, the performance in memory tests improves only to a certain point after which it gradually decreases . The most convincing interpretation of this fact is that as the spacing increases, the initial memory trace becomes less and less accessible. Despite the reduced accessibility, in distributed spacing, the repetition produces an increased memory effect.
However, after the spacing reaches some critical point, the memory trace becomes completely inaccessible, and the processing of the to-be-remembered item is similar to the one that takes place at initial presentation . In other words, in spaced repetition, a trade-off between the spacing effect and forgetting must be taken into consideration. As Bahrick pointly noticed, the optimum inter-repetition interval is likely to be the longest interval that avoids retrieval failures, and that finding optimum intervals will yield major contributions of memory research to education .
Optimum spacing of repetitions
Though some theoretical models suggest that the strength of memory should increase gradually with successive repetitions , the major shortcoming of most of the research that has been done on the effects of inter-repetition intervals on the performance in memory tasks was application of equally spaced repetition . Another shortcoming that makes it hard to collect data concerning optimum spacing of repetitions is the fact that most of the available studies considered inter-repetition intervals on the order of seconds, minutes and hours. Spacing repetitions in periods longer than one week has been very scarcely studied .
A major exception to the rule was the report by Bahrick, who studied the effects of spacing in an experiment spanning 14 months, and who measured the resulting knowledge retention in a follow-up study after the period of 8 years .1 The third shortcoming often found in the research on spacing was the lack of consideration for the difficulty of particular items . Fourth limitation of the research on spacing was a small number of to-be-remembered items that were considered in the process of learning. .
Spacing effect
Let us have a closer look at theoretical implications of the spacing effect,They could be grouped into the following three categories:
• encoding variability theories (differential encoding theories)
• voluntary deficient-processing theories (voluntary attention-attenuation theory, effort theory, etc.)
• involuntary habituation theories (involuntary deficient-processing theory, consolidation theory, habituation-recovery theory, construction theory, etc.)
Involuntary habituation
Let us have a look at the possible advantages of the involuntary habituation of memory from the evolutionary standpoint. The obvious value of forgetting is to prevent the nervous system from running out of the memory storage. The benefit coming from strengthening memories by means of repetition is that only most frequently encountered tasks are remembered. If we consider the fact that in real life a twice-encountered task is more probable to be encountered again than a once-encountered task, which is more probable to be encountered than a never-met task,
we can conclude that the optimum action of the memory system should result in multiplying the period of the retrievability of a memory trace each time a task is encountered. In other words, the progressive spacing of repetitions stands the greatest chance to be validated on evolutionary grounds. The possible value of the post-repetition habituation of memories comes from the fact that a substantial increase in memory strength at each exposition does not seem to be advantageous for survivability. It would result in unnecessary waste of the storage for lifelong memories produced for massed phenomena which are transitory. In other words, the habituation of memories that follows a repetition seems to ensure that the brain maximizes the average probability of reencountering the remembered tasks, i.e. it maximizes the usefulness of rot memories.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Concentration means being able to free the mind from all objects of distraction —

including one’s own thoughts and emotions — and to direct it toward a single object — whether reposing it in a single state of awareness, or directing it toward a single goal.
To many people, such mental control implies effort. And so it does, of course, in a sense. In another sense, however, they are mistaken. For as long as one tries to concentrate he will not be able to concentrate really effectively. Deep concentration is possible only in a state of relaxation. Where tension exists, whether physically or mentally, there is a separate commitment of energy, like the stray strand of thread that refuses to enter the eye of the needle. If, for example, the brow is furrowed in worry, or if the jaw or the hands are clenched, these are signs that this much energy, at least, is not being directed toward one’s true objective. That is why the best way to develop high-powered concentration is to practice meditation regularly. Many people mistakenly believe that meditation amounts to a kind of escape from reality — an avoidance of one’s worldly responsibilities. Actually, meditation is easily the most effective way of enabling one not only to face life’s challenges, but to overcome them. The deep power of concentration that comes through daily meditation enables a person to resolve an issue in minutes perhaps, where, otherwise, he might have fretted over it for weeks. Even more important, where the will is concerned, the concentration that comes due to regular meditation generates with perfect naturalness the strength of will that is necessary for success in any undertaking. The physical seat of the will is located at the point between the eyebrows. That is why, when a person wills something strongly, he often knits his eyebrows. In meditation one is taught to concentrate at that point, since this is also the seat of concentration in the body. The more frequently and deeply one focuses the mind at that point, the more powerful his will becomes. Another important point in developing concentration, and therefore will power, is inner clarity: crystal clarity of reason and feeling. Meditation is a great aid in the development of such clarity. Muddy thoughts and feelings produce chaos, both inwardly and outwardly. Inner confusion is the antithesis of concentration. Inner clarity, on the other hand, is almost the definition of concentration. When the mind is clear, one naturally addresses issues one at a time. It is equally true to say that, by limiting oneself to doing or thinking about one thing at a time, one finds that the mind, in turn, gradually develops clarity. Concentration, I said, involves, on the negative side, the practice of shutting out of the mind all distracting thoughts and impressions. It isn’t easy not to think about a thing. Try telling yourself, for example, completely to avoid thinking about icebergs. How often, in the normal course of a day, does the thought of icebergs even occur to you? Never, probably, unless you live in arctic regions. Yet, if your mind is not practiced at concentration, the mere resolution not to think of icebergs may be sufficient to cause you to think of nothing else! To develop concentration, then, it is more important to focus positively on one thing at a time than to avoid thinking of other things.

Try to become absorbed in one thought at a time. No one can do many things at once and do them effectively. Leave then, for the moment, every other issue except the one on which you’ve decided to focus your attention. Don’t strain: Be relaxed. Be interested in what you are doing. Become absorbed in it. When people go to the movies, they may find themselves becoming effortlessly absorbed in the story, simply because it has awakened their interest. Focus your mind like that on everything that you do.

When TV newscaster Diane Sawyer was asked the secret to her success, she said, “I think the one lesson I’ve learned is there is no substitute for paying attention.”

Are you thinking, “I agree, but HOW do we improve our ability to focus and maintain attention — no matter what?”

These five FOCUS tips can help you concentrate better — whether you’re working in a busy office, studying at school, sitting in a meeting, or trying to finish a project.

F = Five More Rule

There are two kinds of people — those who have learned how to work through frustration, and those who wish they had. From now on, if you’re in the middle of a task and tempted to give up — just do FIVE MORE.

Read FIVE MORE pages. Finish FIVE MORE math problems. Work FIVE MORE minutes.

Just as athletes build physical stamina by pushing past the point of exhaustion, you can build mental stamina by pushing past the point of frustration.

Just as runners get their second wind by not giving up when their body initially protests, you can get your “second mind” by not giving up when your willpower initially protests. Continuing to concentrate when your brain is tired is the key to S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G your attention span and building mental endurance.

O = One Think At a Time
Samuel Goldwyn said, “If I look confused, it’s because I’m thinking.” Feeling scatter-brained? Overcome perpetual preoccupation with the Godfather Plan — make your mind a deal it can’t refuse. Yes, the mind takes bribes. Instead of telling it NOT to worry about another, lesser priority (which will cause your mind to think about the very thing it’s not supposed to think about!), assign it a single task with start-stop time parameters.

Still can’t get other concerns out of your head? Write them down on your to-do list so you’re free to forget them. Recording worrisome obligations means you don’t have to use your brain as a “reminder” bulletin board, which means you can give your undivided attention to your top priority task.

C = Conquer Procrastination
Don’t feel like concentrating? Are you putting off a task or project you’re supposed to be working on? That’s a form of procrastination. R. D. Clyde said, “It’s amazing how long it takes to complete something we’re not working on.”

Next time you’re about to postpone a responsibility ask yourself, “Do I have to do this? Do I want it done so it’s not on my mind? Will it be any easier later?” Those three questions can give you the incentive to mentally apply yourself because they bring you face to face with the fact this task isn’t going away, and delaying will only add to your guilt and make this onerous task occupy more of your mind and time.

U = Use Your Hands as Blinkers
Picture your mind as a camera and your eyes as its aperture. Most of the time, our eyes are “taking it all in” and our brain is in “wide-angle focus.” We can actually think about many things at once and operate quite efficiently this way (e.g., imagine driving down a crowded highway while talking to a friend, fiddling with the radio, keeping an eye on the cars beside you, and watching for your exit sign.)

What if you want to switch to telephoto focus? What if you have to prepare for a test and

you need 100% concentration? Cup your hands around your eyes so you have “tunnel vision” and are looking solely at your text book. Placing your hands on the side of your face blocks out surroundings so they are literally “out of sight, out of mind.” Think about the importance of those words.

Want even better news? Does the name Pavlov r-r-r-ring a bell? If you cup your hands around your eyes every time you want to switch from wide-angle to telephoto focus, that physical ritual becomes a Pavlovian trigger.

Remember? Pavlov rang the bell, fed the dog, rang the bell and fed the dog, until the dog started salivating as soon as he heard the sound of the bell. Similarly, using your hands as blinkers every time you want to narrow your focus teaches your brain to switch to “one track” mind and concentrate on your command.

S = See As If For the First or Last Time
Want to know how to be “here and now” and fully present instead of mindlessly rushing here, there, and everywhere? Frederick Franck said, “When the eye wakes up to see again, it suddenly stops taking anything for granted.” Evelyn Underhill said, “For lack of attention, a thousand forms of loveliness elude us every day.”

I constantly relearn this lesson. One time I was giving my sons their nightly back rub. Although I was sitting right next to them, I might as well have been in the next country because I was thinking of the early morning flight I needed to take the next day and wondering if I had packed my hand-outs, if my ticket was in my purse, etc.

Suddenly, my unfocused eyes fell upon my sons and I truly SAW Tom and Andrew as if I was looking at them for the first time. I was immediately flooded with a sense of gratitude for these two healthy, thriving boys. I felt so blessed to have been gifted with such wonderful sons. In an instant, I went from being absent-minded to being filled with a sense of awe and appreciation for their presence in my life.

Next time your mind is a million miles away, simply look around you and really SEE your surroundings. Study that exquisite flower in the vase. Get up close to the picture on the wall and marvel at the artist’s craftmanship.

Lean in and really look at a loved one you tend to take for granted. This will “Velveteen Rabbit” your world and make it come alive in your mind’s eye.

What people have said about concentration

* “I used to think the human brain was the most fascinating part of the body, and then I realized, ‘What is telling me that?’” – Emo Phillips
* “I’m getting so absent-minded and forgetful. Sometimes in the middle of a sentence, I . . . ” – Milton Berle
* “Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity and in cold weather becomes frozen, even so does inaction sap the vigors of the mind.” Leonardo da Vinci
* “Tell me to what you pay attention, and I will tell you who you are.” – Jose Ortega y Gasset
* I would go without shirt or shoe sooner than lose for a minute the two separate sides of my head.” – Rudyard Kipling
* “It’s not that I don’t want to listen to people. I very much want to listen to people. I jut can’t hear them over my talking.” – Paula Poundstone

Friday, July 2, 2010

Brain is a organ that think, learns and grows by interacting with the world through perception and action. Mental stimulation improves brain function and actually protects against cognitive decline, as does physical exercise.

The human brain is able to continually adapt and rewire itself. Even in old age, it can grow new neurons. Severe mental decline is usually caused by disease, whereas most age-related losses in memory or motor skills simply result from inactivity and a lack of Brain exercise and stimulation. In other words, use it or lose it.Brain excercise is neccesary

Journey of the Developing Brain

Only recently have scientists been able to learn how the neural network of the brain forms. Beginning in the womb and throughout life this vast network continues to expand, adapt, and learn. Take a look inside the brain at a cellular level to find out how our three pound universe forms and even how we learn.

Hippocampal Neurons
Evolving Brains Inspired Movement

Step back a half-billion years ago, to when the first nerve cells developed. The original need for a nervous system was to coordinate movement, so an organism could go find food, instead of waiting for the food to come to it. Jellyfish and sea anemone, the first animals to create nerve cells, had a tremendous advantage over the sponges that waited brainlessly for dinner to arrive. .
Elasticity and Plasticity

Elastic comes from the Greek word for “drive” or “propulsion.” It is the tendency of a material to return to its original shape after being stretched.

Elasticity is the basic animal drive that powers your muscles, giving you strength and balance – flexibility, mobility, and grace.
Plastic derives from the Greek word meaning “molded” or “formed.” It is the tendency of the brain to shape itself according to experience.

Before birth you created neurons, the brain cells that communicate with each other, at the rate of 15 million per hour! When you emerged into the world, your 100 billion neurons were primed to organize themselves in response to your new environment – no matter the culture, climate, language, or lifestyle.

During infancy, billions of these extraordinary cells intertwined into the vast networks that integrated your nervous system. By the time you were four or five years old, your fundamental cerebral architecture was complete.
Until your early teens, various windows of opportunity opened when you could most easily learn language and writing, math and music, as well as the coordinated movements used in sports and dance. But, at any age you can – and should – continue to build your brain and expand your mind.
Expanding Your Amazing Neural Network

Throughout life, your neural networks reorganize and reinforce themselves in response to new stimuli and learning experiences. This body-mind interaction is what stimulates brain cells to grow and connect with each other in complex ways. They do so by extending branches of intricate nerve fibers called dendrites (from the Latin word for “tree”). These are the antennas through which neurons receive communication from each other. A healthy, well-functioning neuron can be directly linked to tens of thousands of other neurons, creating a totality of more than a hundred trillion connections – each capable of performing 200 calculations per second! This is the structural basis of your brain’s memory capacity and thinking ability.

Learning at the Cellular Level

Many neuroscientists believe that learning and memory involve changes at neuron-to-neuron synapses. Such changes, called long-term potentiation (LTP), make it easier for connected neurons to communicate with each other, and therefore to form memories. LTP involves patterns of synaptic strengthening and weakening that can last for weeks. Because receptor aggregation may contribute to LTP – and dispersal may contribute to the reverse scenario, long-term depression – the discovery that receptors can scurry in and out of synapses strengthens the synaptic hypothesis of learning
Learning Uses Long-Term Potentiation Study

A study by neuroscientists at Brown University provided further evidence that learning uses long-term potentiation LTP to produce changes in the synaptic connections between brain cells that are necessary to acquire and store new information

When the researchers taught rats a new motor skill, scientists found that the animals’ brains had also changed. The strength of synapses between neurons in the motor cortex of their brains had increased through a process consistent with the use of LTP.
Previously, “the link between LTP, synaptic modification and learning was tentative,” said senior author John Donoghue, professor of neuroscience. “This latest study provides strong evidence that learning itself engages LTP in the cerebral cortex as a way to strengthen synaptic connections.”1
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Where Mind Meets Body – The Neuromuscular Junction

Brain chemistry reveals an essential unity of mind and body. Neurons not only contact other neurons, they also connect with skeletal muscles, at a specialized structure called the neuromuscular junction. There the brain uses acetylcholine – its primary chemical neurotransmitter for memory and attention – to communicate with muscles. Another of the brain’s key chemical messengers, dopamine, helps regulate fine motor movement.
The role of these neurotransmitters in regulating movement underscores the intimate relation between body and mind, muscle and memory. In fact, many bodyworkers find that deep massage can trigger the release and awareness of powerful, long-held emotional memories.
Muscles Activate Brain Receptors

When acetylcholine is released at a neuromuscular junction, it crosses the tiny space (synapse) that separates the nerve from the muscle. It then binds to acetylcholine receptor molecules on the muscle fiber’s surface. This initiates a chain of events that lead to muscle contraction.

Scientists have shown that muscle fiber contains a scaffold made of special proteins that hold these acetylcholine receptors in place. Research led by Jeff W. Lichtman, M.D., Ph.D., at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, indicates that a loss of nerve signals – due to inactivity – actually disassembles this scaffold and causes a loss of acetylcholine receptors. When the muscle becomes active again, however, the scaffold tightens its grip and catches any receptors that come by.
“So muscle activity is a cue to keep a synapse stable, and synaptic inactivity is a cue to disassemble a synapse,” says Lichtman, a professor of neurobiology. “So if you lose activity, you lose receptors. But if you regain activity, you get those receptors back.”2
Mental Exercise for a Better Brain

When we are young the world seems filled with curious wonders, delightful discoveries, and daunting challenges. Our brains are taking in countless bits of information and we are developing lifetime skills. This burst of learning is like the brain Olympics of our human journey. Yet unlike the Olympic athletes who have a limited time to demonstrate their peak performance, the human brain can continue to grow and improve with exercise.

Here you will find a variety of suggestions and research that can help keep you mentally fit.

A Brain Exercise You Can Do Right Now

This is an exercise that can strengthen neural connections and even create new ones.

Switch the hand you are using to control the computer mouse. Use the hand you normally do NOT use.

What do you notice?

Is it harder to be precise and accurate with your motions?
Do you feel like you did when you were first learning to tie your shoelaces?

If you are feeling uncomfortable and awkward don’t worry, your brain is learning a new skill.

Try other neural building and strengthening exercises with everyday movements. Use your opposite hand to brush your teeth, dial the phone or operate the TV remote.
Imagine Increased Muscle Strength!-Experiment

In a fascinating experiment, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation discovered that a muscle can be strengthened just by thinking about exercising it.

For 12 weeks (five minutes a day, five days per week) a team of 30 healthy young adults imagined either using the muscle of their little finger or of their elbow flexor. Dr. Vinoth Ranganathan and his team asked the participants to think as strongly as they could about moving the muscle being tested, to make the imaginary movement as real as they could.

Compared to a control group – that did no imaginary exercises and showed no strength gains – the little-finger group increased their pinky muscle strength by 35%. The other group increased elbow strength by 13.4%.
What’s more, brain scans taken after the study showed greater and more focused activity in the prefrontal cortex than before. The researchers said strength gains were due to improvements in the brain’s ability to signal muscle.3

Pay attention to your breathing. Is it slow and deep, or quick and shallow? Is your belly expanding and contracting, or is your chest doing all the work?

topics
Engage Your Brain

It is important to challenge your brain to learn new and novel tasks, especially processes that you’ve never done before. Examples include square-dancing, chess, tai chi, yoga, or sculpture. Working with modeling clay or playdough is an especially good way for children to grow new connections. It helps develop agility and hand-brain coordination, (like controlling the computer mouse with your opposite hand).
Travel Stimulates Your Brain

Travel is another good way to stimulate your brain. It worked for our ancestors, the early Homo sapiens. Their nomadic lifestyle provided a tremendous stimulation for their brains that led to the development of superior tools and survival skills. In comparison, the now-extinct Neanderthal was a species that for thousands of years apparently did not venture too far from their homes. (Maybe they were simply content with their lives – in contrast to the seldom-satisfied sapien.) Early humans gained a crucial evolutionary edge from the flexibility and innovation required by their strategic lifestyle, which also led to a more diverse diet that allowed their brains to rapidly evolve.
Neurobics™

Neurobics™ is a unique system of brain exercises using your five physical senses and your emotional sense in unexpected ways that encourage you to shake up your everyday routines. They are designed to help your brain manufacture its own nutrients that strengthen, preserve, and grow brain cells. Created by Lawrence C. Katz, Ph.D., a professor of neurobiology at Duke University Medical Center, neurobics can be done anywhere, anytime, in offbeat, fun and easy ways. Nevertheless, these exercises can activate underused nerve pathways and connections, helping you achieve a fit and flexible mind.
Neurobic Exercises

Try to include one or more of your senses in an everyday task:
Get dressed with your eyes closed
Wash your hair with your eyes closed
Share a meal and use only visual cues to communicate. No talking.

Combine two senses:
Listen to music and smell flowers
Listen to the rain and tap your fingers
Watch clouds and play with modeling clay at the same time
Break routines:
Go to work on a new route
Eat with your opposite hand
Shop at new grocery store
Reading and Bingo

Consider your brain a muscle, and find opportunities to flex it. “Read, read, read,” says Dr. Amir Soas of Case Western Reserve University Medical School in Cleveland. Do crossword puzzles. Play Scrabble. Start a new hobby or learn to speak a foreign language. “Anything that stimulates the brain to think.” Also, watch less television, because “your brain goes into neutral,” he said. Challenging the brain early in life is crucial to building up more “cognitive reserve” to counter brain-damaging disease, according to Dr. David Bennett of Chicago’s Rush University. And, reading-habits prior to age 18 are a key predictor of later cognitive function.

A cognitive psychologist in England found that when elderly people regularly played bingo, it helped minimize their memory loss and bolster their hand-eye coordination. Bingo seemed to help players of all ages remain mentally sharp.
What’s Thought-Provoking is Brain-Promoting-Research

Research on the physical results of thinking has shown that just using the brain actually increases the number of dendritic branches that interconnect brain cells. The more we think, the better our brains function – regardless of age. The renowned brain researcher Dr. Marian Diamond says, “The nervous system possesses not just a ‘morning’ of plasticity, but an ‘afternoon’ and an ‘evening’ as well.”

Dr. Diamond found that whether we are young or old, we can continue to learn. The brain can change at any age. A dendrite grows much like a tree – from trunk to limbs to branches to twigs – in an array of ever finer complexity.
In fact, older brains may have an advantage. She discovered that more highly developed neurons respond even better to intellectual enrichment than less developed ones do. The greatest increase in dendritic length occurred in the outermost dendritic branches, as a reaction to new information.

As she poetically describes it: “We began with a nerve cell, which starts in the embryo as just a sort of sphere. It sends its first branch out to overcome ignorance. As it reaches out, it is gathering knowledge and it is becoming creative. Then we become a little more idealistic, generous, and altruistic; but it is our six-sided dendrites which give us wisdom.”
Stimulating Environment Protects Brain-Study

Animal studies show that intellectual enrichment can even compensate for some forms of physical brain damage. For example, a mentally stimulating environment helped protect rats from the potentially damaging effects of lead poisoning.

Neuroscientists at Jefferson Medical College compared groups of rats given lead-laced water for several weeks in two different environments. Rats living in a stimulating environment showed a better ability to learn compared to the animals that were isolated. “Behaviorally, being in an enriched environment seemed to help protect their brains,” says Jay Schneider, Ph.D., professor of pathology, neurology, anatomy and cell biology.
“The magnitude of the protective effect surprised me,” he says. “This might lead to an early educational intervention for at-risk populations.” It suggests a way to diminish the damage that lead does to kids: by manipulating their socio-behavioral environment.
Physical Exercise for a Better Brain

Most of us know that physical exercise is good for our general health, but did you know that physical exercise is also good for your brain? If you think you’re going to get smarter sitting in front of your computer or watching television, think again. Here scientists present the evidence that a healthy human being is a human doing.
Our Sedentary Society

Not too long ago, futurists envisioned humans evolving giant thumbs in response to a push-button world. They did not foresee humanity’s real response to all its labor-saving conveniences – a sedentary, inactive society with a deteriorated vascular system and consequent decline in physical and mental health.

Nearly half of young people ages 12 to 21 do not participate in vigorous physical activity on a regular basis. Fewer than one-in-four children report getting at least half an hour of any type of daily physical activity and do not attend any school physical education classes.7
In June 2001, ABC News reported that school children spend 4.8 hours per day on the computer, watching TV, or playing video games.
The impact of computers, video games, school funding cuts, and public apathy have combined to leave Illinois as the only state that still requires daily physical education in first through 12th grades. This is a far cry from the 1960s, when President John F. Kennedy made physical fitness a priority for Americans of all ages.

These sedentary tendencies respresent a real health crisis. And, not just for couch-potatoes. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when blood circulation slows, allowing clots to form and then, eventually, break free, causing death. DVT has been nicknamed “economy class syndrome,” because airplane passengers who sit throughout a long flight in the close quarters of economy class have become victims of DVT.8
About Physical Exercise

Exercise is a natural part of life, although these days we have to consciously include it in our daily routine. Biologically, it was part of survival, in the form of hunting and gathering or raising livestock and growing food. Historically, it was built into daily life, as regular hours of physical work or soldiering. What is now considered a form of exercise – walking –was originally a form of transportation.

Patterson, Kearney, Nebraska
Walking Benefits Brains

Walking is especially good for your brain, because it increases blood circulation and the oxygen and glucose that reach your brain. Walking is not strenuous, so your leg muscles don’t take up extra oxygen and glucose like they do during other forms of exercise. As you walk, you effectively oxygenate your brain. Maybe this is why walking can “clear your head” and help you to think better. Movement and exercise increase breathing and heart rate so that more blood flows to the brain, enhancing energy production and waste removal. Studies show that in response to exercise, cerebral blood vessels can grow, even in middle-aged sedentary animals.
Walking Improved Memory-Study

Studies of senior citizens who walk regularly showed significant improvement in memory skills compared to sedentary elderly people. Walking also improved their learning ability, concentration, and abstract reasoning. Stroke risk was cut by 57% in people who walked as little as 20 minutes a day.
Women Who Walk Remember-Study

When the cognitive abilities of elderly women were compared, those who walked regularly were less likely to experience age-related memory loss and other declines in mental function.

University of California at San Francisco researchers measured the brain function of nearly 6,000 women during an eight-year period. The results were correlated with the women’s normal activity level, including their routine walking and stair-climbing.

“In the higher-energy groups, we saw much less cognitive decline,” said neurologist Kristine Yaffe, MD. Of the women who walked the least (a half-mile per week), 24% had significant declines in their test scores, compared to only 17% of the most active women (17 miles per week).
It wasn’t a matter of all or nothing. “We also found that for every extra mile walked per week there was a 13% less chance of cognitive decline,” said Yaffe, who is Chief of Geriatric Psychiatry at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center. “So you don’t need to be running marathons. The exciting thing is there was a ‘dose’ relationship which showed that even a little is good but more is better.”

“In the higher-energy groups, we saw much less cognitive decline” – a protective effect amounting to as much as 40% – according to Yaffe. “This is an important intervention that all of us can do and it could have huge implications in preventing cognitive decline.”
Wake Up Your Brain in the Morning Exercise

In the morning, while you’re still in bed, slowly begin to move your toes – any way that feels good. Wriggle, scrunch, and stretch. Move all your toes up and down several times, or work just your big toes. Wiggling your toes activates nerves that stimulate your brain and internal organs. Do this exercise first thing each morning or after sitting for an extended period of time. It will help you to wake-up and become alert more quickly. Your whole body may feel pleasantly energized. Most important, your first steps – and those throughout the day – will be safer ones. (Falls are the second leading cause of spinal cord and brain injury among people over 65 years old.)
Foot Note

The human foot is one of the body’s most complex engineering marvels. The eight arches in your feet do a remarkable job of evenly distributing the weight of your body, while 200 ligaments coordinate 40 different muscles that control the 56 bones in your feet – one fourth of all the bones in your body! An intricate system of blood vessels and nerves connect the feet with the rest of the body. Your feet are good barometers of the aging process; inflexible toes, cold feet, and poor circulation are signposts of time.
Physical Exercise Helps Higher Brain Functions-Study

Before enrolling in the trial, and four months later, the cognitive abilities of the participants were tested in four areas: memory, executive functioning, attention/concentration, and psychomotor speed.

Compared to the medication group, the exercisers showed significant improvements in the higher mental processes of memory and in “executive functions” that involve planning, organization, and the ability to mentally juggle different intellectual tasks at the same time.
“What we found so fascinating was that exercise had its beneficial effect in specific areas of cognitive function that are rooted in the frontal and prefrontal regions of the brain,” said Blumenthal. “The implications are that exercise might be able to offset some of the mental declines that we often associate with the aging process.”
Run for More Brain Cells-Study

Ongoing animal studies at The Salk Institute show that running can boost brain cell survival in mice that have a neurodegenerative disease with properties similar to Alzheimer’s.

When these mice are sedentary, “it appears that most newly born brain cells die. We don’t understand that fully, but it probably has something to do with an inability to cope with oxidative stress,” said Carrolee Barlow, a Salk assistant professor and lead author of the study. “Running appears to ‘rescue’ many of these cells that would otherwise die.”
Furthermore, the miles logged correlated directly with the numbers of increased cells, she said. “It’s almost as if they were wearing pedometers, and those that ran more grew more cells.”
Running is a Brain Boost-Study

Running’s brain-boosting effects were in the hippocampus, a region of the brain linked to learning and memory and known to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease, Barlow said. “The results suggest that exercise might delay the onset and progression of some neurodegenerative diseases.” This study builds on work directed by Salk Professor and co-author Fred Gage, showing that running also leads to increased brain cell numbers in normal adult mice, elderly “senior citizen” mice, and a genetically “slow-learning” strain of mice. Gage’s studies have shown that new cell growth occurs in human brains, too. Therefore, this suggests that the boosting effects of running may occur in people as well.

Physical Exercise Protects Your Brain as it Ages – Statistics

Physical exercise has a protective effect on the brain and its mental processes, and may even help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Based on exercise and health data from nearly 5,000 men and women over 65 years of age, those who exercised were less likely to lose their mental abilities or develop dementia, including Alzheimer’s.

Furthermore, the five-year study at the Laval University in Sainte-Foy, Quebec suggests that the more a person exercises the greater the protective benefits for the brain, particularly in women.

Inactive individuals were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s, compared to those with the highest levels of activity (exercised vigorously at least three times a week). But even light or moderate exercisers cut their risk significantly for Alzheimer’s and mental decline.

Intelligence at Any Age-Study

Since 1956, the Seattle Longitudinal Study has tracked more than 5,000 people, aged 20 to 90 years old. When participants began to experience cognitive decline, they were given a series of five one-hour training sessions designed to improve inductive reasoning and spatial orientation. As a result, half of them improved significantly – demonstrating that mental enrichment increases fluid intelligence at any age. Lead researcher of the study, Dr. K. Warner Schaie, concluded: “The results of the cognitive training studies suggest that the decline in mental performance in many community-dwelling older people is probably due to disuse and is consequently reversible.”
Mental Challenge Protects Brain From Cognitive Decline-Study

Contrary to popular myth, you do not lose mass quantities of brains cells as you get older. “There isn’t much difference between a 25-year old brain and a 75-year old brain,” says Dr. Monte S. Buchsbaum, who has scanned a lot of brains as director of the Neuroscience PET Laboratory at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Cognitive decline is not inevitable. When 6,000 older people were given mental tests throughout a ten-year period, almost 70% continued to maintain their brain power as they aged.
Certain areas of the brain, however, are more prone to damage and deterioration over time. One is the hippocampus , which transfers new memories to long-term storage elsewhere in the brain. Another vulnerable area is the basal ganglia, which coordinates commands to move muscles. Research indicates that mental exercise can improve these areas and positively affect memory and physical coordination.
Intellectual Activity Fends off Alzheimer’s-Study

Numerous studies show that better-educated people have less risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In a Case Western Reserve study of 550 people, those more mentally and physically active in middle-age were three times less likely to later get the mind-robbing disease. Increased intellectual activity during adulthood was especially protective. Examples included reading, doing puzzles, playing a musical instrument, painting, woodworking, playing cards or board games, and performing home repairs.
Physical Exercise as an Antidepressant-Study

Blumenthal and a team of researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that an aerobic exercise program decreased depression and improved the cognitive abilities of middle-aged and elderly men and women.

They followed 156 patients between the ages of 50 and 77 who had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups: exercise, medication, or a combination of medication and exercise. The exercise group spent 30 minutes either riding a stationary bicycle or walking, or jogging three times a week.
To the surprise of the researchers, after 16 weeks, all three groups showed statistically significant and identical improvement in standard measurements of depression, implying that exercise was just as effective as medication in treating major depression.
An Active Life Fuels an Active Brain- Study

In a study of 193 people believed to have Alzheimer’s disease, researchers found that people who participated in fewer leisure activities between the ages of 20 and 60 were 3.85 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Most beneficial was spending time in intellectual pursuits. “A passive life is not best for the brain,” said Dr. Robert P. Friedland at University Hospitals of Cleveland.
“Elderobics” – Pedestrian Power-Study

In a sedentary group of people aged 60 to 75, University of Illinois researchers introduced them to a fitness regime. For six months the elders had either an aerobic or non-aerobic workout for up to 90 minutes, three times a week.

“We chose couch potatoes,” said the study’s lead author, cognitive neuroscientist Arthur Kramer. The 214 healthy adults hadn’t been involved in any physical exercise for the previous 5 to 10 years. “Indeed most of our subjects hadn’t done any formal exercise for more like 30 or 40 years.”

One group took long walks three times a week, and the other only did gentle toning and stretching exercises using weights. Walkers, who completed an hour-long loop around the university, improved significantly in the mental tests, as well as being fitter. An improvement of only 5-7% in cardio-respiratory fitness led to an improvement of up to 15% in mental tests. The non-walkers, however, did not gain any benefits for their brains.
“We see selective cognitive benefits which accompany improvement in aerobic fitness,” says Kramer. Although benefits were not obvious in every type of test, improvements were clearly attributable to the aerobics workout.

Even beyond age 70, cardiovascular exercise can improve memory and reasoning skills. “People who have chosen a lifetime of relative inactivity can benefit mentally from improved aerobic fitness. It’s never too late.”
Why Older Women Have Better Memory-Study

By improving cardiovascular health, exercise increases the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Over a lifetime, this makes a big difference to brain function. In fact, cardiovascular health appears to be the primary biological reason why elderly women tend to have better cognitive function than men.

When Dutch researchers tested 600 people aged 85 and over, they found that the odds of having a better memory were 80% higher in women, even after considering factors such as formal education and depression. “Good cognitive speed was found in 33% of the women and 28% of the men,” they reported.
Women at age 85 are known to be relatively free from cardiovascular disease, compared to men, and this relative absence of atherosclerosis is a likely biological explanation, according to Dr. A. J. M. de Craen of Leiden University Medical Center.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

HOW does the information stored in memory?
All the nformation is stored in different parts of your memory. Latest information is stored in recent memory may include what you do this morning. Information stored in the short-term memory may include the name of a person you met moments ago. Information stored in the remote or long-term memory includes things that you stored in your memory years ago, such as memories of childhood.
How does brain change during aging?
When you’re in your 20s, you begin to lose brain cells a few at a time. Your body also starts to make less of the chemicals your brain cells need to work. The older you are, the more these changes can affect your memory.

Aging may affect memory by changing the way the brain stores information and by making it hard er to recall stored information.

Your short-term and remote memories aren’t usually affected by aging. But your recent memory may be affected. For example, you may forget names of people you’ve met today or where you set your keys. These are normal changes.

Things to remember

* Keep lists.
* Follow a routine.
* Make associations (connect things in your mind), such as using landmarks to help you find places.
* Keep a detailed calendar.ging
* Put important items, such as your keys, in the same place every time.
* Repeat names when you meet new people.
* Do things that keep your mind and body busy.
* Run through the ABC’s in your head to help you think of words you’re having trouble remembering. “Hearing” the first letter of a word may jog your memory.

What about when I know a word but can’t recall it?
This is usually just a glitch in your memory. You’ll almost always remember the word with time. This may become more common as you age. It can be very frustrating, but it’s not usually serious.
Other causes of memory problems
Many things other than aging alone can cause memory problems. These include depression, dementia (severe problems with memory and thinking, such as Alzheimer’s disease), side effects of drugs, strokes, head injury and alcoholi
How does Alzheimer’s disease change memory?
Alzheimer’s disease starts by changing the recent memory. At first, a person with Alzheimer’s disease will remember even small details of his or her distant past but not be able to remember recent events or conversations. Over time, the disease affects all parts of the memory
How can I tell if my memory problems are serious?
A memory problem is serious when it affects your daily living. If you sometimes forget names, you’re probably okay. But you may have a more serious problem if you have trouble remembering how to do things you’ve done many times before, getting to a place you’ve been to often, or doing things that requires steps (such as following a recipe).

Another difference between normal memory problems and dementia is that normal memory loss doesn’t get much worse over time. Dementia gets much worse over several months to several years.

It may be hard to figure out on your own if you have a serious problem. Talk to your family doctor about any concerns you have. If your memory problems are caused by a certain medicine you’re taking, your doctor can prescribe another medicine that doesn’t have this side effect. If another condition is causing your memory loss (such as depression), your doctor can help you treat the condition.
Memory problems that aren’t part of normal aging

* Forgetting things much more often than you used to
* Forgetting how to do things you’ve done many times before
* Trouble learning new things
* Repeating phrases or stories in the same conversation
* Trouble making choices or handling money
* Not being able to keep track of what happens each day

How aging normally affects memory

Memory isn’t a single cognitive process, and it isn’t stored in a single area of the brain. It’s classified by time (short-term vs. long-term) and by type (information you have to recall, like the 13 original colonies or a party you attended, and information that becomes part of you, such as how to drive a car or get dressed). Because different areas of the brain govern different activities and sensory functions, the nature of the information you want to remember determines what part of your brain takes it in and stores it.

There are three stages in the process of memory formation and maintenance:
Acquisition New information enters your brain along pathways between neurons (nerve cells) in the appropriate area of the brain. Unless you focus on the information intently, its residence in your brain is fleeting — the old “in one ear, out the other” phenomenon.
Consolidation If you’ve paid attention well enough to encode new information in your brain, the relevant neuronal pathways get a signal from the hippocampus,a primitive structure deep inside the brain, to store the information as long-term memory. This happens more easily if it’s related to something you already know, or if it stimulates an emotional response.
Retrieval When you need to recall information, your brain has to activate the same pattern of nerve cells it used to store it. The more frequently you need the information, the easier it is to retrieve it along healthy nerve cell connections.

Several factors cause aging brains to experience changes in the ability to retain and retrieve memories:

* The hippocampus is especially vulnerable to age-related deterioration, and that can affect how well you retain information.
* There’s a relative loss of neurons with age, which can affect the activity of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters and their receptors.
* An older person often experiences decreased blood flow to the brain and processes nutrients that enhance brain activity less efficiently than a younger person.

These physiological changes can cause glitches in brain functions you’ve always taken for granted. You might have trouble remembering details of a movie you saw recently or directions to a new restaurant. It might take you longer to recall names, faces, and locations, even if you’ve seen them before. You might get flustered if you have to pay attention to more than one thing at a time.

Keep in mind, though, that much of what seems like forgetfulness is more of a slowing in the ability to absorb, store, and retrieve new information, not a loss. You can make and recall new long-term memories; the process just takes a little longer.

And many brain functions are largely unaffected by normal aging, such as:

* How to do the things you’ve always done and do often
* The wisdom and knowledge you’ve acquired from life experience
* Your innate common sense
* The ability to form reasonable arguments and judgments
* The ability to learn new skills and make then routine (though it might take longer)

Degrees of memory loss as part of aging
Normal forgetfulness

The following types of memory lapses are normal among older adults and generally are not considered warning signs of dementia:

* forgetting where you left things you use regularly, such as glasses or keys
* forgetting names of acquaintances or figures in the news
* occasionally forgetting an appointment
* having trouble remembering what you just read
* walking into a room and forgetting why you entered
* forgetting the details of conversations
* becoming easily distracted
* not quite being able to retrieve information you have “on the tip of your tongue”
* blocking one memory with a similar one, such as calling a grandson by your son’s name

Although most people start to experience memory lapses like these by age 60, they have little impact on daily performance. Later, we’ll look at some ways of improving memory and compensating for memory loss.
Mild cognitive impairment

When the information you forget is no longer trivial and your forgetfulness begins to have consequences — you miss your weekly card game or blank on your daughter’s birthday — your memory loss is beyond that of “normal” memory loss due to aging and may be diagnosed as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The hallmarks of MCI are being unable to remember details of something you saw or read just a few minutes ago and trouble pulling up information you’ve known for a long time.

The memory lapses are similar to those of someone in the earliest stage of Alzheimer’s, and some experts see it as a precursor to Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. People with MCI do develop Alzheimer’s at higher rates than the general population of older adults. But MCI is not the same as Alzheimer’s, nor does everyone with MCI develop Alzheimer’s. Its symptoms stop well short of dementia, and people with MCI manage to accomplish their routine tasks independently, though they may struggle to do so.
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia

When memory loss becomes so pervasive and severe that it disrupts your work, hobbies, social activities, and family relationships, you may be experiencing the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, another disorder that causes dementia, or a condition that mimics dementia.
Conditions and lifestyle factors that can cause memory loss

The conditions below might cause memory loss or produce dementia-like symptoms, but they are treatable. Be aware of ways that your environment and lifestyle might be contributing to your memory loss.
Factors which might cause memory loss or dementia-like symptoms:
Exposure to environmental toxins Substances you come in contact with in your home and workplace can cause memory loss or inability to concentrate. They include:

* lead in drinking water or paint in older homes
* mercury in paints, dyes and inks
* carbon monoxide leaking from home heaters
* chemicals in pesticides and hobby materials

Medications Many prescribed and over-the-counter drugs or combinations of drugs can interfere with neurotransmitters essential to memory or simply make you drowsy.
Alcohol and drug abuse Excessive alcohol intake is toxic to brain cells, and illicit drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy, and cocaine block the function of neurotransmitters needed for memory.
Depression Especially in the elderly, persistent depression may actually cause a loss of neurons in brain areas responsible for memory, making depressed people less able to concentrate and process information.
Vitamin B12 deficiency B12 protects neurons, and some older persons develop an inability to absorb it effectively.
Thyroid problems The thyroid gland controls metabolism: if your metabolism is too fast, you may feel confused, and if it’s too slow, you can feel sluggish and depressed.
Hearing loss If you can’t hear what people are saying, you can’t remember it!
When to see a doctor

It’s time to consult a doctor when memory lapses become frequent enough or sufficiently noticeable to concern you or a family member. If you get to that point, make an appointment to talk with your primary physician and have a thorough physical examination. The doctor will ask you a lot of question about your memory, including

* how long you or others have noticed a problem with your memory
* what kinds of things have been difficult to remember
* whether the difficulty came on gradually or suddenly
* if you’re having trouble doing ordinary things.

The doctor also will want to know what medications you’re taking, how you’ve been eating and sleeping, whether you’ve been depressed or stressed lately, and other questions about what’s been happening in your life. Chances are the doctor will ask you or your partner to keep track of your symptoms and check back in a few months.

If your memory problem needs more evaluation, your doctor may send you to a neuropsychologist, who will have you take some pencil-and-paper tests that gauge different aspects of mental ability. If those tests show abnormal results, the doctor will try to rule out causes of cognitive dysfunction based on conditions such as vascular disease, psychological problems, eating and drinking habits, and environmental factors.

A problematic showing on mental ability tests means you’ll probably go in for imaging studies of the brain, such as a CT or MRI scan, which can detect anything putting pressure on your brain, and, if that’s normal, a SPECT or PET scan, which track blood flow and metabolic activity in the brain, respectively, and are the most sensitive tools at present for revealing brain abnormalities.

If you are diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease, you may benefit from one of the medications which work by protecting acetylcholine, a brain chemical that facilitates memory and learning.
Compensating for memory loss

Even if you are experiencing a troublesome level of memory loss, there are many things you can do to learn new information and retain it.
Keeping track of dates, schedules, tasks, phone numbers Write it down!

* Leave yourself notes or make checklists.
* Put appointments and important dates on calendars and in a day planner or electronic organizer.
* Ditto for phone numbers and other contact information.
* If you have trouble remembering how to do something, write down the steps.

Remembering where you put things

* Put the things you use regularly (keys, glasses, purse, watch) in the same spot when you’re not using them.
* If you have to put something down in a different place, look at the place when you put down the object and say the location out loud.
* If necessary, write down where things are.

Staying on top of times and places

* Set an alarm clock or timer to remind you when to leave for an appointment or do something in your home.
* Use a map to help you get from one place to another.
* Enlist friends and relatives to remind you of where you need to be and things you’re supposed to do.

Learning new information Work on your ability to focus your attention and screen out distractions:

* Listen closely when someone talks to you.
* Repeat back the information.
* Try to talk with people in quiet places.
* Focus on one thing at a time.

Preventing memory loss

The same practices that contribute to healthy aging also contribute to healthy memory.
Regular exercise

* It gets more oxygen to your brain.
* It reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
* It may enhance the effects of helpful brain chemicals and protect brain cells.

* Cortisol, the stress hormone, can damage the hippocampus if stress is unrelieved.
* Stress makes it difficult to concentrate.

Good sleep and enough of it

* Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation.
* Sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea leave you tired and unable to concentrate during the day.

Not smoking

* Smoking heightens the risk of vascular disorders that can cause stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain.

In addition, two other lifestyle factors are crucial for maintaining healthy memory throughout life:
Lifelong learning and exercise of the brain

When it comes to memory, it’s “use it or lose it.” Just as physical exercise can make and keep your body stronger, mental exercise can make your brain work better and lower the risk of mental decline. Here are some ideas for brain exercise, from light workouts to heavy lifting:

* Play games that involve strategy, like chess or bridge, and word games like Scrabble.
* Work crossword and other word puzzles, or number puzzles such as Sudoku.
* Read newspapers, magazines, and books that challenge you.
* Get in the habit of learning new things: games, recipes, driving routes.
* Take a course in an unfamiliar subject.
* Take on a project that involves design and planning: a new garden, a quilt, a koi pond.

Developing and maintaining social relationships

People who don’t have social contact with family and friends are at higher risk for memory problems than people who have strong social ties. Social interaction helps brain function in several ways: it often involves activity that challenges the mind, and it helps ward off stress and depression. So join a book club, reconnect with old friends, visit the local senior center. Being with other people will help keep you sharp!